Starter having a pinion movement control structure

A starter comprising:

• a starting motor for generating rotation force;
• an output shaft for rotating by transmission of the rotation force of the starting motor;
• a pinion moving body spline fitted on an outer periphery of the output shaft and having a pinion gear for meshing with a ring gear of an engine;
• biasing means to bias the pinion moving body toward the ring gear;
• movement restricting means to normally restrict movement of the pinion moving body toward the ring gear by the biasing means;
• restriction releasing means to release the movement restriction on the pinion moving body by the movement restricting means before rotation of the output shaft;
• rotation restricting means to restrict rotation of the pinion moving body upon movement of the pinion moving body to a predetermined position near the ring gear by the biasing means after the movement restriction of the pinion moving is released by the restriction releasing means;
• and
• an electromagnet switch for supplying electric current to the starting motor after rotation of the pinion moving body is restricted by the rotation restricting means.

A starter comprising:

• a starting motor generating rotational driving force upon supply of electric current;
• an output shaft having a helical spline formed on an outer periphery thereof;
• a pinion moving body including a pinion gear for meshing with a ring gear of an engine and axially movably supported on the output shaft;
• pinion moving structure for transferring the pinion moving body a predetermined distance toward the ring gear before the motor begins rotating;
• and
• an electromagnet switch having an attraction coil, a plunger movable to drive the pinion moving structure, and a motor switch responsive to the movement of the plunger, the motor switch supplying electric current to the motor after a transfer of the pinion moving body by the pinion moving structure toward the ring gear so that upon commencement of rotation of the motor the pinion moving body is advanced via helical splines to engage the ring gear.

A starter comprising:

• a starting motor generating rotational driving force upon supply of electric current;
• an output shaft having a helical spline formed on an outer periphery thereof;
• a pinion moving body including a pinion gear for meshing with a ring gear of an engine and axially movably supported on the output shaft;
• pinion moving structure for transferring the pinion moving body a predetermined distance toward the ring gear;
• an electromagnet switch having an attraction coil, a plunger movable to drive the pinion moving structure, and a motor switch responsive to the movement of the plunger, the motor switch supplying electric current to the motor after a transfer of the pinion moving body by the pinion moving structure toward the ring gear so that upon commencement of rotation of the motor the pinion moving body is advanced via helical splines to engage the ring gear;
• and
• a rotation restricting structure for restricting rotation of the pinion moving body upon commencement of rotation of the motor,
• wherein the pinion moving body includes protrusions and recesses formed alternately radially on an outer periphery thereof;
• the rotation restricting structure has a first protrusion of a bar shape restricting rotation of the pinion moving body in engagement with the protrusions and recesses so that the first protrusion meshes with the protrusions and recesses as a result of the rotation restricting member being driven by movement of the plunger;
• and
• the rotation restricting structure has a second protrusion slidably engaged with a groove formed in the lever so that the second protrusion slides along the groove to tilt the lever for pushing out the pinion moving body toward the ring gear.

A starter comprising:

• a starting motor;
• an output shaft rotatable by the starting motor;
• a pinion moving body axially movable on the output shaft and rotatable with the output shaft, the pinion moving body having a pinion gear for meshing with a ring gear of an engine;
• an electromagnet switch having a plunger arranged to move a first predetermined distance to turn on a motor switch through which electric current is supplied to the starting motor;
• movement restricting structure for normally restricting axial movement of the pinion moving body on the output shaft;
• pinion moving structure for moving the pinion moving body axially on the output shaft toward the ring gear in response to movement of the plunger;
• rotation restricting structure linked with the plunger to move a second predetermined distance for engagement with the pinion moving body so that rotation of the pinion moving body is restricted at the time of meshing of the pinion gear with the ring gear;
• and
• the first predetermined distance being set longer than the second predetermined distance so that the electromagnet switch enables rotation of starting motor only after movement of the pinion moving body toward the ring gear.